Cirque Bidon – On the road with the last itinerant circus in Europe

Cirque Bidon – On the road with the last itinerant circus in Europe, photo essay by Arianna PaganiThe Circus Bidon is a note company of street theater was founded in 1976 by Francois “Bidon” Rauline. He lives from the beginning an itinerante life and in the early seventies know a camp of manouches, nomadic group of origin Sinti, that has inspired him. The first reality of his own circus was called Anar circus, rhyming to the political period lived by Francois and the other fellow adventurers. After forty years Bidon’s concept is changed in relation to social and political changes in the country. Although the show is stabilized year after year. In the 80’s and early 90’s it was easier to create a show based on ‘improvisation artists while today the show has guidelines that must be followed. The improvisations have leave the place to very specific numbers from artists which prepare with hard work during the winter months. The circus Bidon is considered by experts of performative arts the precursor of the “nouveau cirque”. A new type of show that puts in connection circurs number, live music and theater.

Q&A with Arianna Pagani

Photography is…
Photography is a communication means.

Photography and writing…
Photography and writing represented by a photographer and journalist that collaborate to tell a story together are e perfect combination. The journalist has made the choice of resorting to language to deliver data and facts in a linear fashion; similarly, the photographer chooses to use visual means to express what she or he sees, feels or perceives. I strongly believe in the unity of these two realities.

Who left the biggest impression on you?
I work in a photography shop and I am lucky to have a pile of books by photographers and photojounrlists to browse through whenever I need it. Learning about other photographers projects’ is an activity I have always dedicated much time to. Nut what impresses me the most are the colleagues I work with when they follow certain stories.

Tell us a little about yourself
Compared to more recent reportages about social issues and journalistic work, this project on the circus has been the union of several of my passions: photography and the theatrical circus performances. Having followed the circus performers for longer time than I did when covering other stories, I have had the chance to relax with them and extensively work at the same time.